JP Publication of Application No. 2002-235459 (Patent Document 1) discloses a storage facility for object of paying of respects which comprises a storage area (A) for storing a plurality of containers (2) each for holding a housed item (1), respects-paying areas (B) each for a person (visiting to pay respects) to pay respects in, and a transport system (C) for transporting a container (2) between the storage area (A) and a support location (D) provided in each respects-paying area (B). In Patent Document 1, the container (2) and one or more housed items (1) held therein are referred to as an object of paying of respects (referred to, hereinafter, simply as an “object”).
In the storage facility of Patent Document 1, when a person visits to pay respects, a desired container (2) is retrieved from the storage area (A) by the transport device (C) and is transported to the respects-paying area (B) in which the person visiting to pay respects awaits. Attached to one side surface of the container (2) is a plate (5) that shows information (referred to, hereafter, as “displayed information”) relevant to the object, such as the deceased's family name, the deceased's family crest or symbol, and the deceased's favorite words or sayings, etc. The visiting person pays respects with the view of the displayed information shown on the plate (5) of the container (2) which is transported to the support location (D) in the respects-paying area (B).
As described above, the storage facility of Patent Document 1 is configured such that, when paying respects, a person sees the displayed information provided at only one specified part of the object. However, depending on the liking of the person visiting to pay respects or on how the object is set up, there may be more than one orientation of the object in which the person in the respect-paying area would like to view the object. For example, when the object has a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or is irregular in shape for which the dimensions of the side in view is different depending on the orientation of the object, the shape and information in view is different depending on the orientation of the object. Thus, the favored orientation of the object may be different depending on the person visiting to pay respects. In addition, even in the case of a mortuary tablet or a Buddha statue, etc., the shape and/or information in view may be different depending on the orientation of such object.
However, in conventional storage facilities, the orientation that the object is in at a support location could not be changed as desired by the person visiting to pay respects.